Friday, 17 November 2017

With the news last week that Ferrero has changed the recipe of Nutella without telling us (NoOoOoOo...), I decided it was time to try making my own version of this famous Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread. The reported 'fine tuning' of this favourite has resulted in Nutella apparently having a higher sugar and fat content and fewer hazelnuts. Outrageous!

Definitely time for a radical response..... Home-Made, More Nut, Less Sugar (healthier than Nutella then!) Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread.

Living in Kent, known also as the 'Garden of England', we are really lucky to have cobnuts (or 'filberts') which are a traditional, but local variety of hazelnut..... and they are perfectly in season right now. A couple of years ago, we bought a cobnut tree for the garden and although it has a way to go before we start to get a good harvest, it is so cool to see a few nuts beginning to appear each year. It is always a bit of a race to get to them before the squirrels, but when we do, the excitement of eating them is way off the scale.

Sadly, I didn't have enough home-grown cobnuts to make this spread, but there have been plenty in the farm shops and local greengrocers, so it seems a shame not to use them.

Whatever your hazelnut source (and supermarket ready-blanched packs are just fine), the Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread is amazingly easy to make, providing you have a high quality, robust blender. Make sure you roast your hazelnuts first for a more intensely nutty flavour.

Then blend to a smooth paste with a little oil, before adding and blending in the other ingredients (the addition of the cocoa adds an extra depth to the flavour notes).... finishing with the melted chocolate. Done!

The Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread will be liquid from the heat of the blending process and the melted chocolate, but once it has cooled to room temperature, it will firm to a spreadable consistency. Pour into jars whilst still warm and store at room temperature.

But be warned..... it is difficult to leave alone..... This stuff is seriously delicious. You may just find yourself spoon in hand, hiding in a dark corner, as you uncontrollably scoop mouthful after mouthful until the jar is clean.....

Hold that thought...... it is far more civilised spread on toast or served with gluten free bread sticks!

Method

First you need to roast your raw blanched hazelnuts : preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas 6. Spread the raw hazelnuts on a baking tray and place in the oven for about 10 minutes until golden, giving the nuts a shake on the tray a couple of times during roasting to prevent burning.

Place the nuts in a heavy duty blender with the oil and blend until you have a very smooth liquid (this will take a few minutes). Make sure you blend in bursts and scrape down the sides to catch all the nut pieces.

Add the icing sugar, cocoa, vanilla and salt and blend again.

Place the chopped chocolate into a glass heat-proof bowl and use either a microwave (on 30 second bursts at medium setting stirring between each) or set over a pan of barely simmering water (stirring frequently), to melt the chocolate.

Pour the liquid chocolate into the blender with the other ingredients and blend again until you have a smooth, even mixture.

Pour into jars. The spread will be hot and runny from the blending process, but will firm up as it cools.

How absolutely delicious, it would make a great present too, in fact I would probably make it and give it all away, otherwise I'd want to eat it all the time! (I am worse than my kids when it comes to temptations like that)

Thanks Monika. It would make a perfect present, especially with Christmas coming and it's so quick to make too. But you're right, it is scarily addictive and like you, I have far less self-restraint than Miss GF! x

How shocking that the recipe has changed and especially in a time when people are more health conscious. I don't think I'd ever heard anyone say Nutella wasn't sweet enough before! I do have a weakness for it though and would love to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice

I know! It seems commercially wrong, given the current climate. I am sure it is all about cost savings.... but I would rather pay more and eat less, than have my favourite foods changed or shrunk.Or the other hand, this recipe is SO easy, I think I will now boycott Nutella in favour of my own! xx

Had not heard the news about nutella but I know that I much prefer a version like your own but sometimes I just want the lazy comfort of nutella and found out years ago it is mostly sugar and fat with very little hazelnuts so I have very low expectations - but now I wonder if what we have in the shops is the old or new recipes - sylvia very taken by mini jars - though I imagine your spread would be a great christmas gift!!!!!

I know.... It seems crazy to call it 'nut'ella and then reduce the nut ratio! The list of ingredients on the jar is actually quite scary..... but then I wonder how many people actually read them (unless they have a specific reason to check).This would make a perfect gift.... in fact..... I am off to buy more hazelnuts to make some later xx

I have never been a great fan of shop bought nutella. In Italy you can now find much healthier and tastier versions with less sugar and better quality ingredients. In Italy Nutella was very popular (particularly) in the 80s when we were bombarded with "Nutella is good for your kids" adverts. At least they are not allowed to say that anymore.Nutella seem to sell slightly less in Italy these days but doing great abroad. One of the things I don't like about them is that although many products in Italy don't use palm oil anymore Nutella seem to keep using it regardless.So I really welcome your delicious home made version. Well done it looks delicious!

Yeah..... I remember the 80's adverts. At one level, at least there is some goodness in there, but sadly it is off-set by all the junk they throw in too! So nice to have a home-made healthier option. At least you know exactly what has gone into it! x

Homemade chocolate spread is just so so good (and way too addictive, he he!). Yours looks absolutely divine, and I'd love to give it a try (you know, purely for research purposes!). Thanks for joining in with #FreeFromFridays.

This sounds AWESOME!!! I am amazed that the recipe has been changed in the way you describe at a time when most manufacturers are finding ways of making their products healthier (even if it's just shrinking the product!!)...but I love your solution - to make your own tastier and healthier version - genius!! Eb x

Thanks Eb.I agree, it almost seems like commercial suicide in today's health climate, but then I question how many people would know. Much better to have a home made version that you know the ingredients for x

Oh yes! I have to say I try not to use Nutella as the ingredients suck. But homemade is a completely different story. I've been meaning to make some as Christmas gifts every year since the first time I made it, but somehow it never quite gets that far ;) Thanks for sharing with #WeShouldCocoa.

Really like the idea of using vegan chocolate and then giving jars of this delicious spread as gifts. As well as making it with regular chocolate for us (to eat out of the jar with spoons) to spread on croissants or anything that doesn’t move.

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I'm Kate, author of the Gluten Free Alchemist blog.

We love sharing our gluten free recipes, baking and product reviews and our experiences of travel and parenting. We embrace Coeliac diagnosis without fear and enjoy the adventure and challenge it has given us.

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